2 Kings 10:4-6

International Standard Version

⁴ But they were too terrified, and so they told one another,^[a] “Look! Two previous kings couldn’t stand up to Jehu, so how can we?” ⁵ So the household overseer and the city supervisor, along with the elders and the children’s guardians, sent word^[b] to Jehu, telling him, “We will serve you and do everything you ask. We won’t set up a king, so do what you want to do.”

⁶ But Jehu wrote them another letter: “If you’re loyal to me, and if you intend to obey my commands,^[c] then bring the heads of your master’s sons and meet me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow.”

Now the king’s sons, totaling 70 men, were living with the leading men of the city, who were their guardians.